New Easter treats you carrot wait to eat

Scratching your head as to what to do with your kids for the two weeks of Easter holiday? Not to fret, mamas! Spend some quality time whipping up these delicious holiday treats with your kids. Plus, your tiny tykes won’t even know they’re measuring, counting and following sequential instructions when they’re having so much fun!

These recipes are something other than traditional hot cross buns and chocolate eggs. Don’t get me wrong, this is not a health and wellness article (#sorrynotsorry) but you can minimise the damage of all that Easter goodness by making some “egg-cellent” treats at home. This way you know “egg-actly” (ok, I’ll stop now) what goes into them and better yet, you can get the kids involved in the cooking process(look out for my tiny hands tips at the end of each recipe). So here they are my three must-make Easter treat recipes:

Easter Egg Surprise

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons Butter

1 cup Marshmallows

2 cups Rice Krispies or any puffed rice cereal

1 packet of M&M’s or other small candies

2-3 Egg shaped moulds (Two halves of a Kinder joy egg works fine)

Instructions

In a large pot melt butter over low heat.

Add marshmallows and stir until melted.

Remove from heat and add the cereal. Mix well until all the cereal is coated

Lightly coat the inside of your mould with a little bit of butter or olive oil. Fill both sides with the mixture.

Make a small hole in the centre of one half and add some of the candies to the middle. Quickly press the two halves together. Hold for a couple of seconds

Gently open the mould and remove the egg.

Allow to set for 30 minutes.

Tiny hands tips: Get the kids to shape the egg moulds and hide the candy inside

Fruity Chocolate Bark

Ingredients

400g milk or white chocolate

½ packet of chocolate mini eggs

2 tablespoons of almonds, sliced

2 tablespoons of dried cranberries

Any additional toppings

Instructions

Lightly grease a 20cm x 20cm baking tray and then line with parchment paper.

In a plastic bag mix the mini eggs and almonds. With a rolling pin lightly crush the almonds and eggs until they break into smaller pieces. Add the cranberries.

Break the chocolate into pieces and place into a large glass bowl. Bring a pot of water to a simmer, then put the bowl on top (don’t let the bottom touch the water). Melt the chocolate slowly stirring continuously.

When the chocolate is completely melted and smooth pour it in the baking tray. Make sure that the chocolate levels out by tilting the tin. Scatter with the crushed mixture over.

Leave to set for 2-3 hours. Turn out and break into pieces.

Tiny hands tips: Get the kids to crush the chocolate eggs and nuts and also break the final bark into pieces.

Easter Bunny’s Favourite

Ingredients

2 small carrots, grated

¼ cup walnuts, chopped

¾ butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs, large

2 tablespoon milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup flour

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp baking powder

A pinch of salt

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

Instructions

Line a 25cm x 25cm baking sheet with baking paper

In a medium bowl cream the butter with the sugar until it becomes light in colour. Then add the eggs one at a time mixing well.

Next, add the milk, and vanilla.

In another bowl sift the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until the dry ingredients are no longer visible, do not over mix.

Gently fold in the walnuts and carrots.

Bake for 18-20 minutes. Allow to cool completely and then cut into bars. Serve as is or top with lemon cream cheese.

Leandi Archer is a South-African born foodie who calls Hong Kong home. With a background in consumer science, hospitality and all things culinary her passions are cooking, travelling and most of all eating (which she’s really good at). She develops recipes in her tiny Hong Kong kitchen and loves exploring new places, flavours and wines.